Sunday letters to the editor

Published 7:00 pm, Saturday, November 19, 2005

Writer says caution needed when people claim the Bible is clear

To the editor:

Be wary of people who claim that the "Bible is clear" (MDN 10-28-05 ). Remember Shakespeare: "Even the devil can cite Scriptures for his purposes." History is replete with examples: Native Americans were slaughtered for not accepting Christ as their savior; Galileo was arrested for saying the earth revolved around the sun, contradicting church teaching; Southern ministers said nothing against slavery because Biblical passages allowed it. Now enter the literal Bible readers. They preach hostility against homosexuals.

Barbara Phillips quotes Leviticus, Romans and other passages to prove that the Bible condemns homosexuality. Those passages have been examined by a growing number of biblical scholars, theologians and clergy. They say anti-gay interpretations are unjustified.

The Book of Leviticus is not important to Christian believers and nobody (or few people) follow the archaic rules. Interestingly, Phillips ignored other rules: Lev 11: 1-12 forbids eating rabbits, pigs, and shellfish like oysters, shrimp, lobsters, etc; Lev 19:19 forbids wearing mixed materials in a garment like cotton/wool or Lev 19:27 that forbids shaving facial hair. How can people cite such passages as alleged evidence of Gods condemnation of homosexuality when they dismiss most of the other rules from Leviticus?

Romans 1:26-27 is considered one of the "clearly" anti-gay passages in the Scriptures: "the women changed the natural function for that which is unnatural … man with man committing indecent acts." Recent interpretations say sexual practices between men that existed 2000 years ago typically took the form of prostitution  not mutual, committed and loving relationships. In "The Good Book," Peter Gomes, preacher and professor of Christian morals at Harvard, expands this thought  "unknown to Paul (author of Romans) is the concept of a homosexual nature. All Paul knew of homosexuality was a debauched pagan. He cannot be condemned for that ignorance, but neither should his ignorance be an excuse for our own."

The Bible is a book about God  not human sexuality. Poorly interpreted and poorly translated Biblical passages made a path of hate, blood and suffering throughout history. We must live with the Biblical values that all of us believe  to love, to respect, and to be just with others. Start it today.

Leo Romo

Saginaw

Heres an invitation

To the editor:

Our church just finished "The Purpose Driven Life." Its an excellent program. One of the lessons was on evangelism. A lot of people think of TV evangelists and want to stay away from anyone who would like to tell them of the good news of Jesus. I have never been good at testimonies, but I would like to invite anyone in Midland who doesnt have a church to come and give First Baptist a chance. I think you will find we are warm and supportive of one another and welcome anyone who would like to come. We have wonderful sermons to feed your spirit, a great music program and a youth program that is growing by leaps and bounds.

Midland is a city of beautiful churches and anyone who doesnt go probably doesnt want to or has never been invited to one. Please come and give First Baptist a chance  it might just change your life. Our church is on the corner of Washington and Sugnet.